New Delhi: Agrima Kanwar was 18 months old when Abhinav Bindra won gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. But as she became aware of his heroics, she followed him as her guiding light. And just the past week, she became the first medal winner for Himachal Pradesh, clinching silver in the women’s Skeet shooting competition in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar.
Agrima said she did not know much about Abhinav Bindra before she started shooting, “But when I started shooting some years ago, my father, a Colonel in the Indian Army, gifted me a copy of Mr. Bindra’s autobiography, A Shot At History. He said I would find it relatable. And he was absolutely right,” she said.
The young shooter was particularly moved by Abhinav Bindra’s account of missing out on an Olympic medal in Athens in 2004. “Reading about how he dealt with that failure, the patience and perfectionism he practiced, and how he bounced back made a deep impact. I realised that setbacks are a part of the journey,” Agrima said.
Her connection with Bindra’s story goes beyond admiration. “Whenever I feel low after a not-so-good day at the range, I revisit his book. Even reading a few lines reminds me that it is okay not to be perfect every day. There’s always another day. That mindset has changed how I shoot, how I think,” she said.
“My father is in the Army, so guns always fascinated me. Unlike pistol, which is constant and indoors, skeet is influenced by outdoor factors—wind, rain, unpredictable conditions — all of which make it more challenging. I enjoy that,” Agrima said. She has been groomed by Rio and Tokyo Olympian Mairaj Ahmed Khan.
Her parents are from Una in Himachal Pradesh, but she was born in Jalandhar. Representing Himachal Pradesh in two editions of the Khelo India Youth Games is a conscious choice. “I always felt connected to Himachal. I noticed that the State doesn’t get a lot of representation in events like these. So, I felt like it was time to represent my roots,” Agrima said.
She finished fifth last year in KIYG Chennai. But this time, her precision and calm under pressure brought her the podium finish she’d been working towards. “The medal boosted my confidence. Now I know that if I can do it once, I can do it again. My father has always told me – it’s one shot at a time. Don’t overthink. Just focus on the next thing. That’s exactly what Mr. Bindra did!”
While her immediate goal is to get into the National junior squad and win medals at the coming World Cup competitions, she also dreams of meeting Abhinav Bindra someday.
“I’d probably be dumbstruck, but I will surely thank him. His story has kept me going. And I know it has inspired a whole generation of athletes like me,” she said.
(IANS)
